


Tempting Perspectives

by midnight_cowboy



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pre-Canon, Could be read as preslash, Gen, Military Court, Pre-Canon, english is still not my first language!! ill keep updates tho, no beta we die like men, playin at military court while i've no idea about neither military nor courts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 04:41:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20370847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnight_cowboy/pseuds/midnight_cowboy
Summary: Oh, that wonderful future with its tempting perspectives.Or a trial that would make Nihlus Kryik a Specter one day.





	Tempting Perspectives

“...Yes, General Oraka”, Kryik bowed his head respectfully; and yet his mandibles trembled with irritation, and Saren noted with pleasure both this moment and the general tension in young turian's figure. “I understand that I acted disrespectfully and against the charter, therefore violating the order of the Spectre Arterius. But listen to yourself as well!” – At that he could not contain his anger, rushed two steps forward, “He led us for _slaughter_! His orders were not without logic, I admit; but the desire to just... end the deed right there and then, and the mercenaries of the Eclipse along with it as soon as possible deprived his plan of the last grains of reason!” 

His sonorous voice echoed under the arches of the Sarlik assembly hall and, bouncing off its walls, refused to be silenced.

“Vius and Decimus died, Tatin still can not recover from her wounds, and if we've continued on to adhere to Arterius--” 

“Respect, Lieutenant Kryik!” - Consul Abrudas hissed quite literally. “The court demands _respect_ for the Spectre Arterius!”

Oh, there was respect, but quite the other way around. Saren almost purred under his breath, watching the burning rage of young Kryik... no. _Nihlus_. This name was now engraved in his memory – along with a great hook to the jaw. Saren involuntarily touched the mandibles with his fingers and moved them from side to side. 

Powerful. Effective. Disabled the threat in one blow and didn’t even hesitate in this decision. It was brave and reckless to go against a senior in rank, especially a Spectre, but - it was effective in the end. Done as an excellent strategist, eliminating the problem in its root and creating a new plan on the way. And even he had to admit that his own work was, indeed, a problem this time around.

He was given seven youths on bail with a clear order - to choose a student. This would not have happened in his entire life if Saren had not miscalculated earlier and, overestimating his abilities, disgraced himself and Turian military before the Council. In fact, because of his actions, a whole frigate of the batarian slave trader ships was allowed to capture more than half the population of a human colony, and all of that in the Citadel Space. If these stakes would've been equivalent to the results Arterius had achieved, no one would have dared to utter a _word_ against him. And he wouldn't have to have been on a trifling, pointless task with a racket of children full of Turian nobility, who had not yet lived even a couple of dozen years! Maybe on a well-deserved vacation somewhere in the Terminus systems.

And now he didn’t regret, even a tiniest bit, that this mission happened.

He, indeed, led them like animals for slaughter, ready to prove to the Council that he was unable to work with anyone, at all. And yet this insolent...

Saren had to admit to himself - he was outright grinning now, teeth bared from under his mandibles, like a youngling, looking at this _Nihlus._ Who dared to speak out not only against an entire military bloc of Oma Ker – against Arterius himself.

The temptation to use his authority was great, and oh, with what pleasure Saren was now going to use it and over-step its limits!

“I believe, consul, respect for me has already been shown by Lieutenant Kryik in all of its... _striking_ power”, Spectre rose from his seat at the Military Council's table, and Abrudas choked on an another beratement of a young turian. The latter raised an eyebrow plate in confusion. And then - both of them, when Arterius squeezed out of himself something that should have seemed like an encouraging smile.

“General Oraka, Council of Sarlik. As you know from the documents attached to this court's files, earlier this month I demanded a unit created out of specific members of Turian military to carry out a mission on the Fourth moon of Velm Urun. It was done in order to lure out and destroy the branch of Eclipse gang terrorizing the space of this system--” (he was not the one to demand so, but rather Advisor Sparatus on his behalf; oh, who cares about such details?) “--but I did not mention the truth behind the reasoning for my request. I”, he took a few steps towards the bewildered Kryik, “picked the best of the best, so that in the course of the mission among them... I would choose a student for myself”.

He now stood side by side with Nihlus.

“Lieutenant Kryik showed himself in all the best ways, both in combat conditions and in the courtroom. He argued his position, put forward a brilliant plan and eliminated”, here Saren couldn't help himself and let out an almost-laugh, “the _obstacles_ to its implementation with minimal losses. He is somewhat emotional, even too much at times”, here Spectre shook his head from side to side, as if recognizing the fault of a young turian soldier (in fact, not even for a second he had thought that), “But that will pass with time. Therefore, on behalf of the Citadel Council I, Spectre Saren Arterius, _demand_ to transfer Lieutenant Nihlus Kryik to my jurisdiction”.

In the silence followed, one could literally hear Kryik’s mandibles almost crack with surprise, and Abrudas’ jaw drop to the floor.

“...Just take him away, Saren!” Oraka helplessly threw up his hands, no longer able to maintain the official protocol.

Saren was willing to swear that in that moment he heard Nihlus whisper "Spirits, _no_" under his breath. That's why, when the court finally adjourned after all the additional protocols, he grabbed Kryik's elbow and almost collided their foreheads together, and said quitely and giddy:

“Spirits, _yes_! And now you, official Spectre student Kryik, will have to answer me _personally_ for the insubordination!..”

Oh, that wonderful future with its tempting perspectives.

**Author's Note:**

> was originally written in Russian, for a friend, on a prompt 'Nihlus, Saren, temptation'. thus this snippet was born! sure, the Spectres usually choose the best of the best out of people who already show their potential every day, buuuuut. it's fic, so I do what I want!
> 
> (also Sparatus made Saren do this, and if Sparatus says you do something after you made him and the entirety of Turian race look stupid, you do not argue with him, you shut your mandibles tight and only open them to say 'yes sir Sparatus, thank you for this opportunity' and RUN)
> 
> [rinnannon](https://twitter.com/rinnannon) on twitter if you wanna yell at me


End file.
